River blackfish save the dayStephen Theodore | First Published: April 2008

Never before in my memory has it been impossible to launch boats at the Purrumbete Caravan Park, but that is the situation that now faces anglers.

The park owners are not deterred as it is only a ten-minute drive to Bullen Merri and things are not looking too bad when you get there. There is a good run of rainbow trout ranging from 1.5-2kg being taken by boats trolling. The best lures seem to be lofties in either the pink or the pink and white.

If you are trolling the lake try fishing along the 15m line, as this seems the most productive. A bit of variation in the catch include a few nice browns. The bass in the lake seem to have missed the summer again – one flash in the pan was all we got this year when some nice fish were taken from Potters Point. Why these fish have not come on the bite in the last two seasons is certainly baffling local anglers. The only thing we do know is they are continuing to grow. It is worth giving Purrumbete a try from Hose’s and Shag Rocks plus some wading along the east side as all these spots are easy to get to and regularly produce good trout along with plenty of redfin.

I reported a couple of months ago the numbers of carp in Lake Colac, and with the summer dry period the lake has fallen even further with the result being a huge carp kill. As I write this report the local paper has an article stating that over 400 tonnes of carp have been removed from the lake. There are thousands more carp lining the lake edge. Perhaps some good things do come from low rainfall.

All is not gloom and doom as out exceptional season for river blackfish continues, as do the trout in the local rivers. Fishing with black crickets over the next month is a good way to get among both the blackfish and the trout, and the best method to catch your bait is to turn over a few cowpats. The dry ones not the wet ones that is.

The West Barwon has been quiet as has Wurdi Buloc but those locals in the know seem to be landing a few trout and redfin at both these locations. Wurdi on a warm night is definitely worth a look.

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Following the summer dry period the lake water level has fallen even further with the result being a huge carp kill.